Concise design by Wilson & Hill Architects shows that a smaller house doesn’t have to mean less space.

WORDS Cassie Doherty PHOTOGRAPHY Stephen Goodenough

The great outdoors: The landscaping optimises the compact site and was designed in collaboration with Danny Kamo of Kamo Marsh. “We worked with Danny from the beginning to come up with a scheme,” says Christopher Wilson of Wilson & Hill Architects. Trees were planted early in the process to have a chance to establish.

It’s all about the simple things, reckons Director Christopher Wilson of Wilson & Hill Architects in Otautahi Christchurch.

The succinct lines and layout of this new-build home demonstrate a clarity that has become its key design feature. “If you use space efficiently, you don’t need a lot of it,” says Chris.

The homeowners are a downsizing couple who had lived in their previous home for about 30 years. Chris had worked with them on tweaking that house, but once their children moved out, it was time for a change. “So we set about designing them a new house from scratch,” he says. “And they wanted to do something different.”

Open up: The SkyLouvre Concertina from Johnson & Couzins is an important facet of the hardworking courtyard design. The rotating fins can also retract to make the most of sunny days.

The site they bought was flat and north-facing, but it was on a busy road. “The house was conceived as two elements, and we wanted to use those elements to create a courtyard,” says Chris.

The plan lays out the house in a T shape, with the space on the road side becoming a motor court for the garage and entrance, and the other space as outdoor living. The form of the house in between acts as a protection, turning its solid back on the road and opening up to the courtyard.

“The idea was to create a nice sunny spot that faces northwest, which in Christchurch is optimum for outdoor living out of the easterly wind.”

Wilson & Hill Architects collaborated with Kamo Marsh on the landscaping. “Danny Kamo was involved in the detailing of the garden. Part of the plan was for some really usable outdoor living, and there was a lot of discussion around how to occupy that courtyard,” says Chris. The compact site offers a grassy play area, a spa and multiple decking areas.

Inside, Chris managed to fit in four bedrooms to accommodate visiting children or grandchildren, and all the living spaces run along the courtyard. “The main family room, kitchen and lounge all open up to outdoor flow,” says Chris. “The ceiling has been taken up quite high in those rooms to create a large volume. So even though the house is not large, the high ceiling makes it feel more spacious.”

A second living area helps, too; a place where the couple can close the doors to read, watch TV or play their musical instruments.

Material choices were purposeful, says Chris, such as the classic dark and light kitchen. “The dark wood played against the floor, with a white benchtop for a lighter feel. It’s in a relatively big space, so the dark timber really draws your eye, but it’s not heavy and imposing.”

A subtle lighting plan by Accent Lighting and generous use of glazing add to the open feeling in the rooms. The unusual ceiling shape that wraps into a band around the tops of the walls is a reflection of the exterior roofline.

“The pitched roof form was used to highlight the house structure, and this gives it a sense that there’s something different going on. We wanted a roof that had some detail, and with that metal roofing you can create some really nice, sharp lines.

“We also wanted to restrain the design of the house, which gives the house a simplicity.”

Of course, simple does not mean easy. To achieve the look he wanted, says Chris, the roof wraps up and over from the brick cladding, with slotted guttering adding to the streamlined effect. Metal and brick are both standard materials, he says, but here they are cleanly expressed.

“It makes the roof look as though it sits on top of the brickwork and everything’s flush.”

Downsizing involves more than just shrinking the square meterage.

“When someone’s retired, they’re at home more during the day, so it’s got to be comfortable,” says Chris. “They had a lot of input into the house, and were both very keen on energy efficiency. So the house has a really high level of insulation, and we put a lot of thought into the detailing of the thermal envelope. It’s insulated under the slab, the walls are thick to accommodate extra insulation, and there’s extra in the ceilings too. We used wool insulation, which is a nice, natural material. The whole house is heated by a hot water pipe in the slab via a heat pump. The windows are high-performance, and they’ve got solar array photovoltaic panels on the roof, so in summer they barely have power bills. The house is really highly efficient, which pays dividends longer term, and was a key focus for them.”

A touch of Italy: The bathroom wall and floor tiles are by Piemme Ceramiche in Italy, imported and exclusively distributed by Brymac Tiles. The walls are inspired by oxidised metals and natural stone, while the floor design references Venetian terrazzo. The Flaviker Blue Savoy outdoor tile on the patio is also from Brymac Tiles.

Low maintenance was also high on the wish list.

“They didn’t want to spend time painting or caring for surfaces. So that’s where the brick and metal roofing come in. They’re both virtually zero-maintenance materials, so they can sit back and enjoy it.”

Chris is pleased that the homeowners are happy. “Working with clients the second time around is always fun. We know them well, so it was a nice project.”